Clock.



w. B. RIKARDi 1 CLOCK. 7 APPLICATION I'ILEID JUNE 27, 1912.

1,074,204. Patented 'Sept. 30, 1913.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Witnesses:

Inventor Attorneys.

' W. B. RIKARD.

CLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27, 1912.

1,074,204, Patented Sept. 30, 1913.

3 SHBETS-SEEET 2.

Witnesses; Inventor I I 6 i v v v Attorneys 'c MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM cv W. B. RIKARD.

CLOCK.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 27, 1912.

1,074,204. Patented Sept. 30, 1913.

3 SHEETS-3141311373.

. a I W Witnesses: Inventor,

Attorneys.

UNITED STATES PATENT carton.

WILLIAM B, EIKARI), OF PBIQSPERITY, SOUTH CAROLINA.

CLOCK.

Application filed June 27, 191.2.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM B. RIKARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at Prosperity, in the county of Newberry and State of South Carolina, have invented a new and useful Clock, of which the following is a specification.

The objects of the present invention are, to provide a novel clock having a vertical E dial, and to provide a horizontally disposed time train, operatively connected with the hand which registers upon the dial; to provide a novel clock having a strong driven time train and a delicately responsive escapement, a reducing train being provided for transmitting motion from the time train to the escapement; to provide a novel clock having a novel connect-ion between the hand arbor and the shafts whereby the hands are operated.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings,-Figure 1 shows the invention in top plan, the housing or inclosing case being shown in horizontal section; Fig. 2 is a fragmental bottom plan of the top plate of the clock movement, the View showing the time train, and the reducing train which is interposed between the time train and the escapement; Fig. 3 is an enlarged, fragmental top plan, showing the operative connection between the hand arbor and the shafts whereby the hands are carried; Fig. 4 is a plan of the reducing train; and Fig. 5 is a vertical section of the structure appearing in Fig. 3.

In the accompanying drawings, the vertical casing or housing is denoted bythe numeral 1, the casing 1 supporting parallel, oppositely disposed dials 2 and 3, and paral lel, oppositely disposed dials 4 and 5, the dials 4 and 5 preferably being located at right angles to the dials 2 and 3. The clock movement, denoted generally by the numeral 6, is horizontally disposed, and comprises a top plate 7, supporting an arm 8 extending toward the dial 2, an arm 9 extending toward the dial 3, an arm 10 extending toward Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Sept. 30, 1913.

Serial No. 706,185.

the dial 4, and an arm 11 extending toward the dial 5. At its inner end, the arm 8 is equipped with a vertical bearing 12, a similar bearing 14 being carried by the arm 9, the arms 10 and 11 carrying similar bearings 15 and 16, respectively. These four bearings 14, 15, 12 and 16 define, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, a rectangular compartment. The arms 8, 9, 10 and 11 carry at their outer ends, vertical bearings 17, 18, 19 and'20, respectively.

Journaled for rotation in the bearings 12 and 17 of the arm 8 is a horizontal shaft 21,

and journaled for rotation in the bearings 14 and 18 of the arm 9 is a horizontal shaft 22. A shaft 23 is journaled for rotation in the bearings 15 and 19 of the arm 10, and

a shaft 24 is jcurnaled for rotation in the bearings 16 and 20 of the arm 11. The minute hand 25 of the dial 2 is actuated by the shaft 21, the minute hand 26 of the dial 3 is actuated by the shaft 22, the minute hand 27 of the dial 4 is actuated by the shaft 23, and the minute hand 28 of the dial 5 is actuated by the shaft 24. The hour hands 29 of the several dials are operat-ively connected with the respective shafts by the common and well known sleeve and gear train mechanisms 30.

The time train includes a vertical hand arbor 31, carrying above the plate 7, a horizontally disposed, beveled pinion 32, meshing into vertical, beveled pinions 33, secured to the inner ends of the shafts 21, 22, 23 and 24, all of the pinions being located within the compartment defined by the inner bearings 14, 15, 12 and 16, as an inspection of Figs. 5 and 3 will render evident. Secured to the upper end of the hand arbor 31, and constituting a closure for the compartment above referred to, is a hand wheel 34, whereby the hands of all of the dials may be set simultaneously, and manually. V

The time train includes a drive wheel 35, actuated by a strong spiral spring 35, the drive wheel 35 meshing into a pinion 36, carried by a shaft 37, provided with a gear wheel 38 which meshes into a pinion 39 secured to the hand arbor 31.

The gear wheel 38 meshes into one member of a reducing train which is operatively connected with the escapement. The reducing train includes a pinion 40, engaged by the gear wheel 38 and carried by a shaft 41, the shaft 41 carrying also a .gear wheel 42 meshing into a pinion 43 carried by a shaft 44- which is j ournaled in a bridge 45, secured to under face of the top plate 7. T he shaft 4% carries a gear wheel 46, meshing into a pinion 47, carried by a shaft 48 which is journaled in the bridge 45. The shaft 48 carries a gear wheel 49, meshing into a pinion 50, secured to a shaft 51, journaled in a bridge 52 carried by the under face of the top plate 7, the escape wheel 53 being secured to the shaft 51.

The balance wheel 54 is secured to a balance staff 55, journaled in a bridge 56 a3- plied to the upper face of the plate and in a bridge 57 secured to the lower face of the plate 7. The balance wheel 5% is operatively connected with the hair spring 58, in the usual manner.

A lever escapement, preferably, is provided, the lever 59 being fulcrumed in a bridge 60 secured to the under face of the plate 7, the lever 59 carrying the pallet 61,

the movement of the lever 59 being limited by a stop pin 62, inserted into the plate 7. At one end, the lever 59 is equipped with a notch 63, engaging a pin 6 1, carried by a roller 65 which is secured to the balance staff 55; the foregoing being the details of the well known lever escapement.

The time train 353638-39 is driven from the strong actuating spring 35, and this spring is made effective to operate the delicately responsive lever escapement above referred to. To prevent a speedy dissolution of the escapement, due to the strong tension of the spring 35, the reducing train 42-43-46-- i749-50 is interposed between the time train and the escapement, it being noted that the gear wheel 38 meshes both into the pinion 4:2 and into the pinion 39 which is carried by the hand arbor 31.

Owing to the engagement between the pinion 38 and the pinion 39 of the hand arbor 31, together with the interposition of the reducing train, it is possible to combine the delicate lever escapement shown and described, with the strong driven drive wheel receiving its impulse from the powerful spring 35.

As will be understood readily from an inspection of Figs. 3 and 5, mechanism is provided whereby the hands of a plurality of vertical dials in a tower clock, may be connected operatively with a time train which is horizontally disposed. The beveled pinions 32 and 33 which operatively connect the hand arbor 31 with the hand actuating shafts 21, 24, 22 and 23, are all housed within a receptacle fashioned by the inner bearings 15, 14, 16 and 12 the member 34 constituting at once, a closure for this compartment, and a means whereby all of the hands upon the several dials may be set simultaneously and manually.

Havin thus described the invention, what is claimed is A tower clock comprising a plurality of dials and hands; an arbor for operating said hands; a pinion on the hand arbor; an escapement; a reducing train controlling the escapement; a single gear wheel meshing into the pinion and meshing also into the terminal member of the reducing train; and driving mechanism operatively connected with the gear wheel.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM B. RIKARD. lVitnesses:

L. G. MERCHNUT, J. L. BowERs, J r.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each. by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

